Pizza Dough with Debi Mazar & Gabriele Corcos

We were in Hurricane Irene’s path this past weekend, so everything was closed. So that meant it was a weekend spent at home, which is very rare. We’re usually out and about doing something, somewhere. So I decided to take advantage of the time spent at home. Since I knew that no local places would be delivering pizza, I figured it would be a good day to make some Homemade Pizza Dough! I always feel like I accomplished so much when I make my own dough. Silly, I know.

I have a stand-by dough that I make, but I wanted to try something different. I came across a Pizza Dough recipe from Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos, hosts of Cooking Channel’s show Extra Virgin. I had a chance to meet them at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival back in February and they are very nice! I’ve never made any of their recipes, so I figured this would be the perfect one to try!

1 (.25-ounce) package dry active yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1/2 cup lukewarm water (about 105 to 115 degrees F)

4 cups bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup cold water

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for bowl

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the yeast, lukewarm water, and 1/2 cup bread flour. Mix well and let sit until bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Yeast, lukewarm water & 1/2 cup flour

Let it sit for at least 30 minutes and there should be bubbles

Whisk together the remaining 3 1/2 cups bread flour and salt in another bowl so it will be evenly distributed.

Once the yeast mixture is nice and bubbly and looks like foamy beer (like the above picture), add 3/4 cup cold water and olive oil. Using a dough hook, turn the mixer on and add the flour in increments.

Mix the dough for about 5 minutes, until the dough starts creeping up the dough hook and comes away from the sides of the bowl.

Place the dough in a large bowl lightly greased with olive oil. Turn to coat all sides of the dough with oil. Cover the bowl loosely with a clean tea towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Punch dough down, and let rise another hour.

I didn’t follow the rest of the recipe – I wish I had a wood-fired pizza oven, lol! So here’s what I did…

I decided to make two pizzas. I did one in a larger pizza pan that had holes in it so the air can circulate and make the dough crispy. I did the other pizza in a smaller pan that was more for a deep dish type of pizza (not quite like Pizzeria Uno’s though).

First: Thinner Crust

Thinner crust pizza

Add some Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella and a little Sharp Provolone

Close up of all of that Cheese…yum!

Baked at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes

Second: Thicker Crust

Thicker crust pizza

Add Sauce, Mozzarella, Sharp Provolone and BACON!

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes

I really enjoy this Pizza. I thought the dough was very good. Instead of regular salt I add in Sarah’s Tuscan Sea Salt (this stuff is my favorite!) and it gives it extra flavor. I coated the bowl in Garlic Olive Oil and that gives it a little extra garlic punch as well. So be sure to play around with the pizza dough recipe! Add in whatever seasonings you want (fresh garlic, oregano, parsley, etc) and you can even switch up the liquid. I LOVE using beer in place of water in pizza dough. It gives it a really good flavor. Try it sometime!